refrigerator

Abstract

A refrigerator is provided, comprising: a main body including a storage compartment; a door body arranged to open or close the storage compartment; a decorative panel coupled to the front side of the door body; and a retainer mounted on the front side of the door body to couple to the decorative panel. The door body comprises a rear shell defining the rear side of the door body, and a main shell defining the front and side sides of the door body. The main shell comprises: a front portion defining the front side of the door body and having a mounting groove in which the retainer is mounted; a side portion defining the side sides of the door body; and a rear coupling member coupled to the rear shell. The main shell is formed by bending a single metal plate.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application "Refrigerator" with application date of February 24, 2021 and application number 202110208951.8. Technical Field

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a refrigerator, and more particularly, to a refrigerator having a door with a decorative panel attached to the front. Background Art

[0003] A refrigerator is a household appliance with a main body that includes a storage compartment and a cold air supply device that supplies cold air to the storage compartment to keep food and groceries fresh. The storage compartments include a refrigerator compartment, maintained at a temperature of approximately 0 to 5 degrees Celsius to keep groceries cool, and a freezer compartment, maintained at a temperature of approximately -30 to 0 degrees Celsius to keep groceries frozen. The storage compartment typically has an open front portion through which food is taken out or put in, and the open front portion is opened or closed by a door.

[0004] The door may include a door body with a thermal insulation member and a decorative panel coupled to a front side of the door body. Since the decorative panel is easily attachable to and / or detachable from the front side of the door body, a user may easily replace the decorative panel with another decorative panel having a different texture, color, or design that the user prefers. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Technical issues

[0006] The present disclosure provides a refrigerator having a door equipped with a decorative panel having a reduced number of parts and a simple structure, thereby improving productivity, reducing defective rates, and saving costs.

[0007] The present disclosure also provides a refrigerator having a door equipped with a decorative panel that imparts enhanced aesthetics and has sturdiness and durability.

[0008] Technical Solution

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes: a main body including a storage chamber; a door body arranged to open or close the storage chamber; a decorative panel coupled to the front side of the door body; and a retainer installed on the front side of the door body to be coupled to the decorative panel, wherein the door body includes: a rear shell defining the rear side of the door body; and a main shell including a front portion defining the front side of the door body and having a mounting groove for mounting the retainer, a side portion defining the side of the door body, and a rear coupling member coupled to the rear shell, wherein the main shell is formed by bending a single metal plate.

[0010] The front portion may include a base formed flat and curved portions formed on left and right sides of the base, and the curved portions may include an inner curved portion defining an inner side of the mounting groove, a middle curved portion defining a rear side of the mounting groove, and an outer curved portion defining an outer side of the mounting groove.

[0011] The outer curved portion and the side portion may be formed to contact each other through a hemming process.

[0012] The outer curved portion and the side portion may be formed to be parallel to each other through a hemming process.

[0013] The outer curved portion and the side portions may protrude further forward than the base.

[0014] The middle curved portion may be formed perpendicular to the outer curved portion.

[0015] The inner curved portion may be formed to be inclined with respect to the base.

[0016] The main housing may be formed using an iron plate material.

[0017] The mounting slot may have an open front.

[0018] The refrigerator may further include a fastening member fastened to the holder and the mounting groove to fix the holder to the mounting groove.

[0019] The retainer may include a shell support supported on the curved portion, and the shell support may include an inner support supported on the inner curved portion, an intermediate support supported on the intermediate curved portion, and an outer support supported on the outer curved portion.

[0020] The refrigerator may further include side trims attached to both left and right edges of a rear side of the decorative panel and coupled to the holder.

[0021] The retainer may include a retainer groove into which the side trim protrusion of the side trim is inserted, and a retainer protrusion protruding from the case support to catch the side trim protrusion.

[0022] The decorative panel is formed using an iron plate material, and the holder may include a panel support supporting a left end or a right end of the panel body.

[0023] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a refrigerator includes: a main body, including a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber formed below the first storage chamber; a first door, including a first door body arranged to open or close the first storage chamber, a first decorative panel coupled to the front side of the first door body, and a first fixing member to fix the first door body and the first decorative panel; and a second door, including a second door body arranged to open or close the second storage chamber, a second decorative panel coupled to the front side of the second door body, and a second fixing member to fix the second door body and the second decorative panel, wherein the first fixing member is coupled to the top end of the first door body and the second fixing member is coupled to the bottom end of the second door body.

[0024] A handle may be formed on each of a bottom side of the first door body and a top side of the second door body.

[0025] The first decorative panel may include a first panel body, a first upper trim piece disposed at a top edge of a rear side of the first panel body, and a first lower trim piece disposed at a bottom edge of a rear side of the first panel body, and the first fixing piece may be coupled to the first upper trim piece.

[0026] The second decorative panel may include a second panel body, a second upper trim piece arranged at a top edge of a rear side of the second panel body, and a second lower trim piece arranged at a bottom edge of the rear side of the second panel body, and the second fixing piece may be coupled to the second lower trim piece.

[0027] The first door body may include an upper cover and a lower cover, the first fixing member may be coupled to the upper cover of the first door body, and the first door body may have a handle formed at the lower cover.

[0028] The second door body may include an upper cover and a lower cover, and the second door body may have a handle formed at the upper cover, wherein the second fixing member may be coupled to the lower cover of the second door body.

[0029] Beneficial effects

[0030] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a decoration panel on a door of a refrigerator is easily attached to or detached from a door body, making it easy to change the design of the door by replacing the decoration panel.

[0031] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a front portion defining a front side of a door body and a side portion forming a side surface of the door body may be integrally formed, thereby improving productivity, reducing a defect rate, and saving costs.

[0032] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a refrigerator may have a door that imparts enhanced aesthetics and has sturdiness and durability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] Figure 1 shows a front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 A three-dimensional diagram of a refrigerator;

[0035] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 The refrigerator door is decomposed into a door body and a decorative panel;

[0036] Figure 4 Shown Figure 1 Exploded view of the refrigerator door body;

[0037] Figure 5 Shown Figure 1 a cross-sectional view of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0038] Figure 6 Shown Figure 5 An enlarged view of part A;

[0039] Figure 7 Shows the Figure 1 The decorative panel of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator is combined with the operation of the door body;

[0040] Figure 8 Shown Figure 1 A bottom coupling structure of a refrigerator door;

[0041] Figure 9 Shown Figure 1 A top connection structure of a refrigerator door of a refrigerator;

[0042] Figure 10 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 A first process for a main housing of a refrigerator door;

[0043] Figure 11 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 A second process for the main housing of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator;

[0044] Figure 12 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The third process of the main housing of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator;

[0045] Figure 13 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 A fourth process for the main housing of a refrigerator door;

[0046] Figure 14 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The fifth process of the main housing of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator;

[0047] Figure 15 Shown Figure 1 The freezer door of the refrigerator is decomposed into the decorative panel and the door body;

[0048] Figure 16 Shows the Figure 1 The decorative panel of the freezer door of the refrigerator is combined with the operation of the door body;

[0049] Figure 17 Shown Figure 1 A top coupling structure of a freezer door of a refrigerator;

[0050] Figure 18 Shown Figure 1 A bottom coupling structure of a freezer door of a refrigerator;

[0051] Figure 19 shows a door of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and

[0052] Figure 20 Shown Figure 19 The refrigerator door Figure 5 The enlarged image corresponding to part A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] The embodiments of the present disclosure are only the most preferred examples and are provided to help a comprehensive understanding of the present disclosure as defined by the claims and their equivalents. Therefore, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present disclosure.

[0054] It should be understood that, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, singular forms include plural references. It will be further understood that, when used in this specification, the terms "comprises" and / or "includes" enumerate the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0055] Terms including ordinal numbers like "first" and "second" may be used to explain various components, but the components are not limited by the terms. These terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

[0056] Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0057] Figure 1 A front view of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 2 Shown Figure 1 perspective view of a refrigerator.

[0058] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The refrigerator 1 may include: a main body 10; storage chambers 21, 22 and 23 formed inside the main body 10; doors 31, 32, 33 and 34 for opening or closing the storage chambers 21, 22 and 23; and a cold air supply device (not shown) for supplying cold air to the storage chambers 21, 22 and 23.

[0059] The main body 10 may include: an inner shell 11, which defines storage chambers 21, 22 and 23; an outer shell 12, which is coupled to the outer side of the inner shell 11 to define the exterior; and an insulating member (not shown) arranged between the inner shell 11 and the outer shell 12 for insulating the storage chambers 21, 22 and 23.

[0060] There may be a horizontal partition wall 24 and a vertical partition wall 25 to separate the plurality of storage chambers 21, 22, and 23. The storage chambers 21, 22, and 23 may be divided into an upper storage chamber 21 and lower storage chambers 22 and 23 by the horizontal partition wall 24, and divided into a lower left storage chamber 22 and a lower right storage chamber 23 by the vertical partition wall 25.

[0061] The upper storage chamber 21 may be used as a refrigerating chamber, and the lower storage chambers 22 and 23 may be used as freezing chambers. However, how the storage chambers 21, 22, and 23 are separated and used is not limited thereto.

[0062] In the storage rooms 21 , 22 , and 23 , shelves 26 for placing groceries and storage containers 27 for storing the groceries may be provided.

[0063] The cold air supply device may generate cold air using a cooling cycle for compressing, condensing, and evaporating a refrigerant, and supply the cold air to the storage compartments 21 , 22 , and 23 .

[0064] The storage chamber 21 can be opened or closed by a pair of upper doors 31 and 32. The upper doors 31 and 32 can be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The storage chamber 22 can be opened or closed by a door 33, which can be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The storage chamber 23 can be opened or closed by a lower right door 34, which can be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The main body 10 may include hinges 35, 36, and 37 to couple the doors 31, 32, 33, and 34 to the main body 10.

[0065] A door guard basket 38 for storing food and a door gasket 39 that may be tightly disposed at the front side of the body 10 to seal the storage compartments 21 , 22 , and 23 may be disposed at rear sides of the doors 31 , 32 , 33 , and 34 .

[0066] Figure 3 Shown Figure 1 The door of a refrigerator is decomposed into a door body and a decorative panel. Figure 4 Shown Figure 1 Exploded view of the refrigerator door. Figure 5 Shown Figure 1 Cross-sectional view of the refrigerator door of a refrigerator. Figure 6 Shown Figure 5 Magnified view of part A. Figure 7 Shows the Figure 1 The decorative panel of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator is combined with the operation of the door body. Figure 8 Shown Figure 1 The bottom combining structure of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator. Figure 9 Shown Figure 1 The top combination structure of the refrigerator door of the refrigerator.

[0067] Will refer to Figures 3 to 9 The structures of the upper doors 31 and 32 for opening or closing the upper storage chamber 21 are described. The following description will focus on the structure of the right upper door 32, which is also applicable to the left upper door 31, and thus the left upper door 31 will not be repeatedly described.

[0068] The door 32 may include a door body 40 and a decoration panel 110 coupled to a front side of the door body 40 .

[0069] The decorative panel 110 may include a panel body 111 and trims 120, 130, and 140 attached to the rear side of the panel body 111 to be combined with the door body 40. The panel body 111 may have a size corresponding to the door body 40. Therefore, the front side of the door body 40 may be hidden by the panel body 111 without being exposed.

[0070] The panel body 111 may have any of a variety of textures, colors, and designs. The decorative panel 110 may be formed to be easily attachable to and detachable from the front side of the door body 40. Therefore, by replacing the decorative panel 110, the door 32 can easily change the texture, color, and design of the front.

[0071] The panel body 111 may be formed using glass or resin. The decoration panel 110 may include a buffer member 115 attached to a rear side of the panel body 111 to mitigate impact when the decoration panel 110 is coupled to the door body 40.

[0072] The trims 120, 130, and 140 may include an upper trim 120 attached to a top edge of a rear side of the panel body 111, side trims 130 attached to left and right edges of a rear side of the panel body 111, and a lower trim 140 attached to a bottom edge of a rear side of the panel body 111. The upper trim 120 and the lower trim 140 may be formed to be long in a horizontal direction, and the side trim 130 may be formed to be long in a vertical direction.

[0073] The upper trim 120 , the side trim 130 , and the lower trim 140 may each be attached to the rear side of the panel body 111 by an adhesive 150 .

[0074] The lower trim 140 may include a lower trim body 141, a lower trim protrusion 142, and a lower trim groove 143. The lower trim protrusion 142 may protrude from the lower trim body 141. The lower trim protrusion 142 may have a shape that extends rearward a certain distance from the lower trim body 141 and then extends vertically to define the lower trim groove 143. The lower trim groove 143 may be formed between the lower trim body 141 and the lower trim protrusion 142.

[0075] The lower cover 80 of the door body 40 may include a lower cover body 81, a lower cover protrusion 82, a lower cover rib 84, and a lower cover installation space 85. The lower cover protrusion 82 may protrude upward from the lower cover body 81. The lower cover protrusion 82 may be formed to be placed in the lower trim groove 143 of the lower trim 140.

[0076] The lower cover rib 84 may protrude upward from the lower cover body 81. The lower cover rib 84 may be formed at a specific distance from the lower cover protrusion 82. When the decorative panel 110 is mounted on the door body 40, the lower cover rib 84 may be provided to guide the lower trim 140 of the decorative panel 110 to a mounting position.

[0077] A lower cover installation space 85 may be formed between the lower cover protrusion 82 and the lower cover rib 84 . When the lower cover protrusion 82 enters the lower trim groove 143 , the lower cover protrusion 82 may be completely inserted into the lower trim groove 143 while rotating in the lower cover installation space 85 .

[0078] The lower cover 80 may include a handle 83 (see FIG. Figure 4 The handle 83 may be formed to be recessed from the bottom side of the lower cover 80 .

[0079] The side trim 130 may include a side trim body 131 and a side trim protrusion 132. The side trim protrusion 132 may protrude from the side trim body 131 and may be elastically deformable.

[0080] The retainer 100 mounted on the door body 40 may include a retainer groove 105 and a retainer protrusion 106. The retainer groove 105 may be formed to receive a side trim protrusion 132 of the side trim 130. The side trim protrusion 132 may be elastically deformable so as to be caught by the retainer protrusion 106 when inserted into the retainer groove 105 beyond a certain depth.

[0081] The upper trim 120 may include an upper trim body 121, an upper trim protrusion 122, and an upper trim hole 123. The upper trim protrusion 122 may protrude from the upper trim body 121. The upper trim hole 123 may be formed at the upper trim protrusion 122.

[0082] The upper cover 70 of the door body 40 may include an upper cover body 71, an insertion groove 72, and an upper cover hole 73. The insertion groove 72 may be formed to receive the upper trim protrusion 122 of the upper trim 120. When the upper trim protrusion 122 is inserted into the insertion groove 72, the first fixing member 160 may be downwardly coupled to the upper cover hole 73 of the upper cover 70 and the upper trim hole 123 of the upper trim 120, thereby enabling the decorative panel 110 to be coupled to the door body 40.

[0083] With this structure, a step of coupling the decoration panel 110 to the door body 40 will now be described below.

[0084] First, the decorative panel 110 is tilted so that the lower cover protrusion 82 is positioned in the lower trim groove 143. Next, the decorative panel 110 can be rotated to its upright position, and the upper trim protrusion 122 can be inserted into the insertion groove 72 of the upper cover 70, while the lower cover protrusion 82 is fully inserted into the lower trim groove 143. Then, the first fixing member 160 can be lowered and coupled to the upper cover hole 73 of the upper cover 70 and the upper trim hole 123 of the upper trim 120.

[0085] With this structure, the decoration panel 110 can be easily coupled to the door body 40 and easily separated from the door body 40 in the reverse order.

[0086] The door body 40 may be rotatably coupled to the main body 10. The door body 40 may include: a rear housing 60 defining a rear surface of the door body 40; a main housing 41 defining a front surface and side surfaces of the door body 40; an upper cover 70 coupled to top ends of the main housing 41 and the rear housing 60; and a lower cover 80 coupled to bottom ends of the main housing 41 and the rear housing 60.

[0087] An internal space may be formed between the main case 41 , the rear case 60 , the upper cover 70 , and the lower cover 80 , and a heat insulator 90 may be filled in the internal space.

[0088] The main housing 41 may include a front portion 42 defining a front surface of the door body 40 , a side portion 50 defining a side surface of the door body 40 , and a rear coupling member 51 coupled to the rear housing 60 .

[0089] The mounting groove 48 for mounting the holder 100 may be formed at the front portion 42. The mounting groove 48 may be formed to have an open front portion. The mounting groove 48 may be formed to be long in the vertical direction at the left and right edges of the front portion 42.

[0090] The front portion 42 may include a base 43 formed to be flat, and bent portions 44 formed at left and right sides of the base 43 to form mounting grooves 48 .

[0091] The bent portion 44 may include an inner bent portion 45 forming an inner side of the mounting groove 48 , a middle bent portion 46 forming a rear side of the mounting groove 48 , and an outer bent portion 47 forming an outer side of the mounting groove 48 .

[0092] The main housing 41 may be formed by a press-bending process of a single metal plate 500 (see FIG. Figure 10 The single metal plate 500 can be formed from an iron plate material. In this manner, the main housing 41 is formed integrally, resulting in a simple structure and easy assembly of the door body 40, thereby improving productivity, reducing defect rates, and saving costs. Furthermore, the door body 40 has fewer assembly parts, thereby improving deformation resistance and robustness.

[0093] During the bending of the main shell 41, the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 can be substantially in contact with each other by the curling process. This can prevent the foam fluid from penetrating between the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50. From a different perspective, the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 can be substantially parallel to each other.

[0094] In this way, the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 are formed to be substantially in contact with each other and parallel to each other, so that the mounting groove 48 for mounting the retainer 100 can be formed as close to the side edge of the decorative panel 110 as possible, and the outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 can support each other, thereby ensuring solidity and imparting enhanced aesthetics.

[0095] The outer curved portion 47 and the side portion 50 may protrude further forward than the base 43. Therefore, when the door 32 is viewed from the side, no gap is visible between the decorative panel 110 and the door body 40, thereby imparting an enhanced aesthetic feeling.

[0096] The middle curved portion 46 may be formed substantially perpendicular to the outer curved portion 47 , and the inner curved portion 45 may be formed inclined with respect to the middle curved portion 46 and the base 43 .

[0097] The door 32 includes a retainer 100 installed in a mounting groove 48 formed at the main housing 41 to be coupled to the side trim 130 of the decorative panel 110. The retainer 100 may be inserted into the mounting groove 48 and fixed thereto by an additional fastening member such as a rivet, a screw, a pin, or the like.

[0098] The holder 100 may include a housing support 101 supported on the curved portion 44 forming the mounting groove 48. The housing support 101 may include an inner support 102 supported on the inner curved portion 45, an intermediate support 103 supported on the intermediate curved portion 46, and an outer support 104 supported on the outer curved portion 47.

[0099] The holder 100 may include a holder groove 105 into which the side trim protrusion 132 of the side trim 130 is inserted. The holder 100 may include a holder protrusion 106 formed to catch the side trim protrusion 132 to prevent the side trim protrusion 132 from deviating when inserted into the holder groove 105. The holder protrusion 106 may protrude from the case support 101.

[0100] Figure 10 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The first process of the main casing of the refrigerator door. Figure 11 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The second process of the main housing of the refrigerator door. Figure 12 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The third process of the main housing of the refrigerator door. Figure 13 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The fourth process of the main housing of the refrigerator door. Figure 14 Shows the manufacturing Figure 1 The fifth process of the main housing of the refrigerator door.

[0101] Reference Figures 10 to 14 , a method of manufacturing the main housing 41 according to the present disclosure will be briefly described.

[0102] The main housing 41 may be formed by press-bending a single metal plate 500 .

[0103] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include cutting a single metal plate 500 along cutting lines 501 and 502 (see FIG. Figure 10 ).

[0104] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include a complex U-bending process (see Figure 11 ). The complex U-bending process performs Z-bending and L-bending to bend the single metal plate 500 along bending lines 503, 504, 505, and 506. The side portion 50 and the outer bending portion 47 may be bent to form approximately 90 degrees.

[0105] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include a 50 degree bending process (see Figure 12 ). In the 50-degree bending process, the side portion 50 and the outer bending portion 47 may be bent to form about 50 degrees.

[0106] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include a crimping process (crimping, swing stamping) (see Figure 13 During the hemming process, the side portion 50 and the outer curved portion 47 may be bent to be substantially in contact with each other and parallel to each other.

[0107] The process of manufacturing the main housing 41 may include a re-impact process (re-impact, cam bending) (see Figure 14During the re-impact process, the side portion 50 may be bent along the bending line 507 to form the rear coupling 51 .

[0108] Figure 15 Shown Figure 1 The freezer door of the refrigerator is decomposed into the decorative panel and the door body. Figure 16 Shows the Figure 1 The decorative panel of the freezer door of the refrigerator is integrated into the operation of the door body. Figure 17 Shown Figure 1 The top combination structure of the freezer door of the refrigerator. Figure 18 Shown Figure 1 The bottom combining structure of the freezer door of the refrigerator.

[0109] Will refer to Figures 15 to 18 The structures of the lower doors 33 and 34 that open or close the lower storage chambers 22 and 23 are described. The following description will focus on the structure of the right lower door 34, which is also applicable to the left lower door 33, and thus the left lower door 33 will not be repeatedly described.

[0110] The lower door 34 includes an upper cover 270, a lower cover 280, an upper trim 320, a lower trim 340, and a second fixing member 360. Each of the upper cover 270, the lower cover 280, the upper trim 320, the lower trim 340, and the second fixing member 360 has a different structure than the upper door 32 described above. Therefore, the method of attaching the decorative panel 310 to the door body 240 is also different from that of the upper right door 32.

[0111] The same structure as that in the above-described upper right door 32 will not be described again.

[0112] The right lower door 34 may include a door body 240 and a decoration panel 310 coupled to a front side of the door body 240 .

[0113] The decorative panel 310 may include a panel body 311 and trims 320, 330, and 340 attached to a rear side of the panel body 311 to be coupled to the door body 240. The decorative panel 310 may include a buffer member 315 attached to a rear side of the panel body 311 to mitigate impact when the decorative panel 310 is coupled to the door body 240.

[0114] The trims 320, 330, and 340 may include an upper trim 320 attached to a top edge of a rear side of the panel body 311, side trims 330 attached to left and right edges of a rear side of the panel body 311, and a lower trim 340 attached to a bottom edge of a rear side of the panel body 311. The upper trim 320 and the lower trim 340 may be formed to be long in a horizontal direction, and the side trim 330 may be formed to be long in a vertical direction.

[0115] The upper trim 320 , the side trim 330 , and the lower trim 340 may each be attached to the rear side of the panel body 311 by an adhesive 350 .

[0116] The upper trim 320 may include an upper trim body 321 , an upper trim protrusion 322 , and an upper trim groove 323 .

[0117] The upper trim protrusion 322 may protrude from the upper trim body 321. The upper trim protrusion 322 may have a shape extending rearward a certain distance from the upper trim body 321 and then extending almost vertically to define an upper trim groove 323. The upper trim groove 323 may be formed between the upper trim body 321 and the upper trim protrusion 322.

[0118] The upper cover 270 of the door body 240 may include an upper cover body 271, an upper cover protrusion 272, an upper cover rib 274, and an upper cover installation space 275. The upper cover protrusion 272 may protrude downward from the upper cover body 271. The upper cover protrusion 272 may be formed to be placed in the upper trim groove 323 of the upper trim 320.

[0119] The upper cover rib 274 may protrude downward from the upper cover body 271. The upper cover rib 274 may be formed at a specific distance from the upper cover protrusion 272. When the decorative panel 310 is mounted on the door body 240, the upper cover rib 274 may be provided to guide the upper trim 320 of the decorative panel 310 to a mounting position.

[0120] The upper cover 270 may include a handle 273 (see FIG. Figure 15 The handle 273 may be formed to be recessed from the top side of the upper cover 270 .

[0121] The upper cover installation space 275 may be formed between the upper cover protrusion 272 and the upper cover rib 274 . When the upper cover protrusion 272 enters the upper trim groove 323 , the upper cover protrusion 272 may be completely inserted into the upper trim groove 323 while rotating in the upper cover installation space 275 .

[0122] The lower trim 340 may include a lower trim body 341, a lower trim protrusion 342, and a lower trim hole 343. The lower trim protrusion 342 may protrude from the lower trim body 341. The lower trim hole 343 may be formed at the lower trim protrusion 342.

[0123] The lower cover 280 of the door body 240 may include a lower cover body 281, an insertion groove 282, and a lower cover hole 283. The insertion groove 282 may be formed to allow the lower trim protrusion 342 of the lower trim 340 to be inserted therein. When the lower trim protrusion 342 is inserted into the insertion groove 282, the second fixing member 360 may be upwardly coupled to the lower cover hole 283 of the lower cover 280 and the lower trim hole 343 of the lower trim 340, so that the decorative panel 310 can be coupled to the door body 240. In addition, the portion of the second fixing member 360 that is not coupled to the lower cover hole 283 and the lower trim hole 343 is exposed below the lower cover 280 and supported on the outer surface of the lower cover 280.

[0124] With this structure, a step of coupling the decoration panel 310 to the door body 240 will now be described below.

[0125] First, the decorative panel 310 can be tilted so that the upper cover protrusion 272 is placed in the upper trim groove 323. Next, when the decorative panel 310 is rotated to the upright position, the lower trim protrusion 342 can be inserted into the insertion groove 282 of the lower cover 280, while the upper cover protrusion 272 is fully inserted into the upper trim groove 323. Then, the second fixing member 360 can be upwardly coupled to the lower cover hole 283 of the lower cover 280 and the lower trim hole 343 of the lower trim 340.

[0126] In this way, as Figure 4 As shown in FIG, while the upper doors 31 and 32 have the handle 83 formed at the bottom end, the lower doors 33 and 34 may have the handle 273 formed at the top end.

[0127] In addition, if Figure 3 As shown in FIG, when the first fixing member 160 for fixing the door body 40 to the decorative panel 110 is coupled to the top ends of the upper doors 31 and 32, as shown in FIG. Figure 15 As shown in FIG, the second fixing member 360 for fixing the door body 240 to the decorative panel 310 may be coupled to the bottom ends of the lower doors 33 and 34. Therefore, the first fixing member 160 and the second fixing member 360 may be prevented from being exposed to the user, thereby imparting enhanced aesthetics.

[0128] Figure 19 A door of a refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. Figure 20 Shown Figure 19 The refrigerator door Figure 5 The enlarged image corresponding to part A.

[0129] Now refer to Figure 19 and Figure 20 A refrigerator according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The same features as in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions will not be repeated. Figure 19 and Figure 20An upper door for opening or closing the upper storage chamber is illustrated, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the structure of the upper door may be similarly applied to a lower door for opening or closing the lower storage chamber.

[0130] In contrast to the decorative panel including a glass or resin panel body in the previous embodiment of the present disclosure, in this embodiment of the present disclosure, the panel body 411 of the decorative panel 410 may be formed using an iron plate material.

[0131] The door 400 may include a door body 40 and a decoration panel 410 coupled to a front side of the door body 40 .

[0132] The decoration panel 410 may include a panel body 411 , trims 420 and 440 attached to the rear side of the panel body 411 , and a magnet (eg, a magnetic body) 430 combined with the door body 40 .

[0133] The panel body 411 may be formed of an iron plate material. Left and right end portions 412 of the panel body 411 may be rounded and bent inwardly.

[0134] A magnet 430 may be provided instead of the side trim 130 or 330 in the previous embodiment of the present disclosure to magnetically attract the main housing 41 of the door body 40 to prevent them from being separated when the decorative panel 410 is coupled to the door body 40. The main housing 41 may be formed of an iron plate material to be pulled to the magnet 430.

[0135] The holder 100 may include panel supports 107 formed to support left and right end portions 412 of the panel body 411. When the holder 100 supports the left and right end portions 412 of the panel body 411 and the main housing 41 closely contacts the decorative panel 410 due to the magnetic force of the magnet 430, the decorative panel 410 and the door body 40 can be stably combined.

[0136] In the case where the panel body 411 of the decorative panel 410 is formed using a material such as an iron plate that is thin and easily deformed (eg, expanded), the magnet 430 is applied instead of the side trim 130 or 330 to prevent deformation of the panel body 411 .

[0137] The present disclosure is not exclusively applicable to the above-mentioned refrigerators and doors, but is also applicable to any electronic device having a main body with a cavity and a door for opening or closing the cavity. For example, the present disclosure is also applicable to a cooking appliance having a cooking chamber, a dishwasher having a washing chamber, a laundry machine having a laundry treatment chamber, a wine cellar having a chamber, an air conditioner, and the like.

[0138] Several embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, but it will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the true scope of the technical protection is limited only by the following claims.

Claims

1. A refrigerator, comprising: the main body, including the storage room; a door arranged to open or close the storage compartment; a door panel coupled to the front side of the door body; as well as a retainer mounted on the front side of the door body to be coupled to the door panel, Wherein, the door body comprises: a rear housing defining a rear side of the door body; and a main housing including a front portion defining the front side of the door body and having a mounting groove for mounting the retainer, a side portion defining a side surface of the door body, and a rear coupling member coupled to the rear housing, and Wherein, the main housing is formed by bending a single metal plate.

2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The front portion includes: a base formed to be flat; and curved portions formed on both the left and right sides of the base, and Wherein, the curved portion comprises: an inner curved portion defining an inner side of the mounting slot; a middle curved portion defining a rear side of the mounting slot; and The outer curved portion defines the outer side of the mounting groove.

3. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein: The outer curved portion and the side portion are formed to contact each other through a hemming process.

4. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein: The outer curved portion and the side portion are formed to be parallel to each other through a hemming process.

5. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein The outer curved portion and the side portions protrude further forward than the base.

6. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein: The middle curved portion is formed perpendicular to the outer curved portion.

7. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein The inner curved portion is formed to be inclined relative to the base.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The main housing is formed using an iron plate material.

9. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein The mounting slot has an open front. 10 . The refrigerator according to claim 1 , further comprising a fastening member fastened to the holder and the mounting groove to fix the holder to the mounting groove.

11. The refrigerator according to claim 2, wherein The retaining member includes a housing support member supported on the bent portion, and Wherein, the housing support comprises: an inner support member supported on the inner curved portion; an intermediate support member supported on the intermediate curved portion; and An outer support member is supported on the outer curved portion.

12. The refrigerator according to claim 11, wherein The door panel includes a panel body and side trims attached to both left and right edges of a rear side of the panel body and coupled to the retainer.

13. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein: The retainer includes a retainer groove into which the side trim protrusion of the side trim is inserted, and a retainer protrusion protruding from the case support to catch the side trim protrusion.

14. The refrigerator according to claim 12, wherein The panel body is formed of an iron plate material, and Wherein, the retaining member includes a panel support member supporting the left end or the right end of the panel body.

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